SEARCH FOR LIFE ON EARTH ABANDONED
Ironically, while the Mars Curiosity rover continues its daily search for evidence of past life-hospitable environments on the surface of Mars, a project seeking evidence of simple lifeforms in an ancient lake deep below the Antarctic ice has been abandoned due to technical problems drilling the boreholes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20850360

The British Antarctic Survey project aimed to drill 1.8 miles down into the ice to reach a lake and search for traces of simple life forms from up to 0.5 million years ago, as well as gather climate record data. Hopefully the project can be resumed in due course.

Two ambitious and potentially highly significant scientific quests.

ANOTHER EXO-PLANET IN 'GOLDILOCKS' ZONE

A planet has been discovered only 12 light years away from Earth, in the 'inhabitable' or 'Goldilocks' zone, where liquid water is possible, circling a single sun-like star named Tau Ceti.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20770103

The total number of exo-planets discovered is now 854. It looks ever more likely that earth-like planets abound in our galaxy.

THE WEATHER ON MARS

The Curiosity rover on Mars continues to return fascinating new discoveries. Recent data on the Martian atmospheric pressure and wind measurements have been sufficiently sensitive to reveal daily variations in radiation levels linked to changes in air pressure.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20345011

There has been some damage to one of the wind sensors, probably occurring at the landing on the surface of Mars, but it has been possible to work round this problem.
This mobile science laboratory on Mars is an amazing tool, under such sensitive flexible control from Earth.

CURIOSITY FINDS IMPORTANT EVIDENCE ON MARS

Pictures have been sent back from the Mars rover 'Curiosity' with remarkable images of conglomerate strata and rounded pebbles which appear to be strong evidence of fast flowing water in the past.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19744131

Curiosity is rapidly proving to be a truly remarkable machine. The lastest pebble images confirm something that was suspected from earlier satellite data, but in a graphic way. It seems very likely that more dramatic discoveries lie ahead.

The media are underwhelmed by what is happening on the surface of Mars. This is brilliant science, you might imagine it would be headline news for days. There seems to be a disappointing and rather sad lack of genuine interest in the Martian adventures in science, compared to the endless stream of trivia and nonsense that gets full attention.

NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE PLANT REJECTED

Shepway councillors have voted against 'formally expressing interest' in the government plan for a nuclear waste plant at Romney Marsh in Kent, near Dungeness nuclear power station.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-19656382

63% of local residents opposed the plan.
Both Kent County Council and East Sussex County Council also oppose this nuclear dump.

However, the Conservative council leader Robert Bliss will make a final decision later.

US SENATOR URGES MORE HELP
FOR FUKUSHIMA

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has followed up a Congressional delegation visit to Japan with a call for more assistance for Fukushima.

All four reactors remain badly damaged, and reactor four is in a particularly serious condition, reported Senator Wyden.

Mainstream media has said very little about the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster in recent months.

JAPAN GOES NON-NUCLEAR IN MAY

By the first week of May, none of Japan's nuclear power stations will be generating electricity.
This is a significant milestone post-Fukushima, and encouragement for all nations to pursue a non-nuclear power future. 

PICNIC PROTEST AT HINKLEY POINT
NUCLEAR POWER STATION

On Sunday 6 May Southwest Against Nuclear are protesting against a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point. The picnic protest starts at 10.00 am.

On 8 May work on the new site will commence, as fences go up and footpaths are closed.

THE NUCLEAR POWER CAKE IS CRUMBLING

Two of the major players for new nuclear power in the UK have pulled out.
Both RWE Npower and E.On have announced that they are no longer interested in building new nuclear power stations at Oldbury and in Anglesey. Their joint project 'Horizon Nuclear Power' cites difficulties raising finance.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-17546420
The government says there still remains 'considerable interest', and hopes that alternative potential investors will be found to fill the gap left by these two major companies.
The decision by RWE Npower and E.On, both German firms, can be linked to the demise of nuclear power in Germany, which itself was sparked by the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

JAPAN DOWN TO ONE NUCLEAR POWER STATION IN OPERATION

No 6 unit at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station  in Japan's Niigata prefecture has been taken offline by TEPCO for maintenance. Just one nuclear plant remains in operation in Japan, on Hokkaido island.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17508657


The Hokkaido nuclear plant is the last of 54 nuclear reactors remaining in operation. It is due to be switched off in May.


Local communities and residents have demanded that reactors are left switched off after maintenance due to safety fears.